Pitcherspal Backboard

ABSTRACT

The ball pitcher&#39;s backboard includes a target board with or without a rebound board connected above at a rearward and upward angle. A crossbar with or without a batter&#39;s figure protrude from the front surface of the target board. A rectangular surface pattern encompasses the crossbar representing a strike zone.

This invention relates generally to a ball pitcher's backboard and relates more specifically to a ball pitcher's backboard that enables a ball pitcher to closely simulate the action of a baseball pitcher playing a game of baseball.

Most ball pitcher's target apparatuses collect the balls that are pitched in some sort of trap like a net and do not produce any sort of response like an opposing baseball team batter would, when hitting the ball with a bat. These apparatuses are generally used for the practice of throwing a ball.

There is an indoor target apparatus on the market that electronically registers a score according to where the ball strikes the target board, but the target board does not produce a response like that of an opposing baseball team batter. The fact that this target apparatus is meant for indoor use further restricts the action of the pitcher. Hence, there exists a need for a ball pitcher's backboard that can be played outdoors, which allows the pitcher to practice all the various actions that a baseball pitcher is expected to master such as a.) the ‘wind up’, b.) catching a ‘fly ball’ hit by a batter, c.) catching a ‘line drive’ hit by a batter, d.) catching a ‘ground ball’ hit by a batter, e.) throwing a retrieved ball to a baseman in order to ‘tag out’ an opposing team's base runner and f.) throwing a ball accurately so that the ball will hit the strike zone.

Accordingly, an important object of my invention is to provide a ball pitcher's backboard that will produce a ball response like that of an opposing baseball team's batter. Another object is to provide a ball pitcher's backboard that will enable a ball pitcher to practice all of the motions that a baseball pitcher is expected to master. Another object is to provide a ball pitcher's backboard that will enable a ball pitcher to improve his accuracy. Another object is to provide a ball pitcher's backboard that can be used by one or two players to play an imaginary game of baseball. Another object is to provide a ball pitcher's backboard which enables a pitcher to keep a tally of ‘strikes’ and ‘balls’ that are thrown.

Briefly, my invention utilizes a horizontal crossbar protruding from a target board to produce the action of an opposing imaginary baseball team's batter. When the pitcher throws a resilient ball and this ball strikes the crossbar, the protruding crossbar will cause the ball to bounce back at the pitcher in one of four ways a.) directly at the pitcher which would be regarded as a ‘line drive’, b.) at a loft to the pitcher which would be regarded as a ‘fly ball’, or c.) along the ground to the pitcher which would be regarded as a ‘ground ball’ or d.) at a loft over and beyond the reach of the pitcher which can be regarded as a ‘base hit’ or a ‘home run’.

In addition a resilient ball thrown by the pitcher that misses the crossbar is rebounded by the backboard, simulating a catcher returning a pitched ball back to the pitcher. The target board also enables the pitcher to keep a tally of the number of ‘strikes’, ‘balls’ and ‘wild pitches’ that are thrown by watching where a thrown ball strikes the target board. If a pitched ball lands in the strike zone without contacting the crossbar then the pitch would be tallied as a ‘strike’. If a ball lands outside of the strike zone on the target board then the pitch would be tallied as a ‘ball’. If a pitched ball glances off of the protruding batter's figure, the pitch would be tallied as a hit batter and the batter would advance to the imaginary first base. However, if the ball were to miss the target board then the pitch would be tallied as a ‘wild-pitch’.

There is a rebound board connected at a rearward and upward angle to the target board which enables the pitcher to throw a ball to an imaginary baseman. When the pitcher throws the resilient ball at the rearward angled rebound board, the ball will rebound back to the pitcher at a loft which will prevent the rebounding ball from falling back to the ground before reaching the pitcher whom now acts as the imaginary baseman when catching the rebounding ball. With this added feature the pitcher can play an imaginary game of baseball by his or her self.

FIG. 1 in the accompanying drawing is a perspective view of the ball pitcher's backboard illustrating my invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken in the direction of line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1, a ball pitcher's backboard illustrating my invention has been denoted generally by the reference number 10. While plywood or glass may be utilized in fabricating the two boards 12 and 14 of this apparatus, it is contemplated that a reinforced, plastic material or similar material be used in order to make the boards more lightweight. Two posts 24 are attached to the rear surface of the target board 14 by bolts and nuts 34. The target board 14 is held in a vertical position at an appropriate height by the two posts 24 which are buried in the ground approximately two feet. While this means of support is being utilized in this drawing, it is contemplated that a free standing support may be used.

At this time attention is directed to the target board 14 which has a crossbar 16 protruding approximately two inches from the front side of the target board 14. On the front surface of the target board 14 surrounding the crossbar 16 is a surface pattern 22 which represents the strike zone that the pitcher 36 attempts to hit with a resilient ball 38. When the pitcher 36 tries to hit the strike zone 22 with the ball 38, the ball 38 may strike the crossbar 16 which would simulate a batter hitting a ball with his bat in a baseball game.

Playing an important role in the practicing of my invention is the batting FIG. 20 which protrudes approximately one half inch from the front surface of the target board 14 and may be an integral part thereof. The batting FIG. 20 has a convex shaped, outer perimeter; so, when the thrown ball 38 strikes the edge of the batting figure, the ball 38 will glance off at an angle which would signify to the pitcher 36 that the batter 20 has been struck. In an imaginary baseball game which may be played by the pitcher 36, the struck imaginary batter would advance to the imaginary first base.

The rebound board 12 is attached to the target board 14 by way of angled flanges 26. The flanges 26 have an angled upper end portion 28 and an angled lower end portion 30, each of the portions 28 and 30 being attached by screws or bolts and nuts 32 to both the backside of the target board 14 and the backside of the rebound board 12, respectfully. The flanges 26 have an angled frontal surface, which will hold the rebound-board 12 at a rearward and upward angle to the target board 14.

Certain modifications and change may be made in the embodiment of my invention, so I desire to be limited only in the scope of the following claims. 

1. A ball pitcher's backboard comprising a target board with means for supporting said target board a suitable distance from the ground, and a rebound board extending in an upward and rearward angle from said target board with means for attaching said rebound board to said target board.
 2. The ball pitcher's backboard of claim 1 in which said target board includes a horizontal crossbar that protrudes from the front surface of said target board.
 3. The ball pitcher' backboard of claim 2 in which said crossbar has a convex, frontal surface.
 4. The ball pitcher's backboard of claim 3 in which the front surface of said target board includes a strike zone pattern in which said crossbar is positioned in the center thereof.
 5. The ball pitcher's backboard of claim 4 in which said strike pattern covers an area of approximately a baseball's width either side of said crossbar.
 6. The ball pitcher's backboard of claim 1 in which said target board includes a baseball batter's figure on the front surface of said target board.
 7. The ball pitcher' backboard of claim 6 in which said baseball batter's figure protrudes from the front surface of said target board.
 8. The ball pitcher' backboard of claim 7 in which said baseball batter's figure has a convex shaped outer perimeter.
 9. A ball pitcher's backboard comprising a target board, a horizontal crossbar protruding from the front surface of said target board, and a strike pattern applied to the front surface of said target board outlining said crossbar.
 10. The ball pitcher's backboard of claim 9 in which said crossbar has a convex, frontal surface.
 11. The ball pitcher's backboard of claim 10 in which said target board's frontal surface includes a baseball batter's figure.
 12. The ball pitcher's backboard of claim 11 in which said baseball batter's figure protrudes from the front surface of said target board.
 13. The ball pitcher's backboard of claim 12 in which said baseball batter's figure has a convex outer perimeter. 